Arabella was a Hero
by KristieConspiracy
Summary: Hogwarts could never be home to people like her. Written for the Character of the Week Drabble Competition, week 8: Arabella Figg.
1. Arabella was a Lover

**Challenge: **Fire the Canon's _Character of the Week Drabble Competition (week 8)_ on HPFC

**Character: **Arabella Figg, Argus Filch

**Prompt: **Romantic relationship.

**Word count: **188

**A/N:** I wanted to watch Filch/Arabella, then saw the character prompt I'd unwittingly signed up for. Well done on my part, if I do say so myself. Whether I quite managed to portray it how I wanted to, I'm still undecided.

* * *

"Please, _please_, Argus, love, let me in. For me. _Please_, I'm begging you; let me see what's happened."

The door remained closed for what felt like hours, before he finally let it open. The man she just couldn't bring herself to stop loving was leaning back against the ivory bath, one of his eyes swollen shut. _One of the students must have done this_, she thought as her heart swelled with pity, as if trying to match the injury. Silently, she knelt beside him, finding the bruise-removal paste on the counter and beginning to tend to it.

"Those damn kids," he muttered. "Arabella, it's those good-for-nothing brats. They don't know when to stop."

"They're just children, love," she whispered, though he continued to mutter dark, threatening things that made her blood turn to ice in her veins. "They don't know any better," she went on, finishing up.

He reached out and pulled his auburn-haired lover over to sit on his lap, leaning her back against his chest. In moments like this, she could almost convince herself that he wasn't consumed with the idea that he was weak.

_Almost._


	2. Arabella was Heartbroken

**Challenge: **Fire the Canon's _Character of the Week Drabble Competition (week 8)_ on HPFC

**Characters: **Arabella Figg, OC (Alina Goldstein)

**Prompt: **Familial relationship.

**Word count: **200

**A/N:** Alina is Arabella's older sister. She's a witch, for the sake of this. Arabella's a rare squib who wasn't thrown out of her family when her lack of magic was discovered. I'm starting to wonder if that's crueller than casting them out...maybe equally so. Also, this post is entirely dialogue. I cut the texts of pauses and emotion, because my word max is 200 for each of these. Goldstein is Alina's married surname. I didn't bother making up a maiden name for the sisters.

* * *

"See, Ar', I _can_ use a television."

"This is a _telephone_, Alina. Televisions show you pictures."

"Oh. Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me, Ar'. I know all your little tics."

"Tells."

"Tell me what?"

"Nothing is wrong. I'm _fine_. Just because I'm a _little_ uncertain -"

""Aha! So you _admit_ that you sound off!"

"- Of my relationship, doesn't mean anything needs to change."

"Oh, Arabella. I'm so sorry."

"Funnily enough, you don't sound it at all."

"Did Argus do something?"

"He signed up for another _miracle cure_."

"Oh, Merlin. That man and his - I mean, terrible, absolutely terrible."

"Ali', what do I do? I told him it has to stop. I can't - I can't keep supporting his money-wasting treatment plans! I love him, I do, I just -"

"Can't afford his habits. Arabella, listen. You have to end things with him."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"Quickly, Ar'. I'll pay for you to take a portkey to come stay here afterwards. You'll love it, I promise. You'll forget all about what's-his-name."

"Alright. I - make it soon, please, Alina. I'll owe you."

"You will not. After all, what are sisters for but fixing heartbreak?"


	3. Arabella was Jaded

**Challenge: **Fire the Canon's _Character of the Week Drabble Competition (Week 8)_ on HPFC

**Character: **Arabella Figg, OC (Alina Goldstein)

**Prompt: **Sweden

**Word count: **200

* * *

It was the vacation to Alina's place in Sweden that changed then thirty-two year old Arabella forever. Alina had married a city wizard, and the cities of Sweden were hugely different from those of England. Having been dragged by the older sister to a hill on the outskirts of the city, the well-meaning witch and the jaded squib stared at the brick blocks, lit by so many colours, it reminded the younger of the muggles' Northern Lights. "Isn't it beautiful?" Alina was stoked, but Arabella just couldn't see it.

A rustling in the bushes distracted both women. As Alina shrieked and jumped back from the thing that emerged, Arabella, being the braver sister, knelt to meet it. After all, she didn't see why she should be cautious when no one was waiting for her back home, anyway. "It's a cat," she said, smiling faintly as it brushed against her outstretched hand, which she quickly snatched back. "It shocked me!"

"It - it might be a kneazle, Ar'. They're native here."

Arabella stared at the creature, seeing the intelligence in its' eyes. She thought it could see into her mind.

"I'm keeping him."

And that was how the 'cat obsession' began.


	4. Arabella was a Child

**Challenge: **Fire the Canon's _Character of the Week Drabble Competition (week 8)_

**Character: **Arabella Figg, Argus Filch

**Prompt:** Hogwarts.

**Word count:** 194

**A/N:** Her muggle husband is barely mentioned because I pretty much forgot she was _Mrs. _Figg in the book and that obviously it couldn't be her maiden name. My bad.

* * *

Arabella adored her monthly visits to Hogwarts, even while her muggle husband was alive.

Though they rarely lasted more than an hour at a time - and could potentially be rather awkward if one of the delightful little elves could not be spared to show her to the Headmasters office and the irritable caretaker was forced to do so instead - they were the most enjoyable trips she had ever had the privilege to undertake.

Once the meeting was done, often having been quite grim, she could let her delight take over. If she was quick enough, she could slip away from Dumbledore and forget all about poor Harry Potter and the borderline abusive treatment he received from his only living family. Then she could pretend she had a wand, that she was eleven years old again and Alina was about to show her all around her brand new school.

And then a memory would walk around the corner with his eyes still mismatched in size, and Arabella would be forced to stop. Hogwarts could never be home to _people like her_ \- no matter how hard he tried, or how hard she pretended.


	5. Arabella was a Witness

**Challenge: **Fire the Canon's _Character of the Week Drabble Competition (week 8)_ on HPFC

**Character: **Arabella Figg, Albus Dumbledore

**Prompt: **Must be written in first person

**Word count: **200

* * *

I'd been summoned to the Ministry once or twice before - I breed magical creatures that must be monitored, and there are routine checks to ensure I'm not interacting 'unseemingly' with muggles, or plotting the reveal of wizards everywhere - but always convinced them to meet me elsewhere in London. The statue of unified magical creatures was a quaint touch, I decided, while Dumbledore's gnarled fingers gripped my elbow and propelled me towards the courtroom.

"What did I tell you to do?"

_How many times will he ask me?_ "Take the seat they offer. Don't complain. Answer all questions specifically, no tangents. Albus, I understand what I'm to do. I won't let Harry down."

"This shouldn't be on your shoulders, regardless. I'm sorry, Arabella."

"No trouble, Albus," I lied, and like always, my tongue twisted itself into an attempt at justification. "We all knew Mundungus Fletcher was unreliable. He was drinking, no doubt, at that awful old pub -"

"_Arabella_."

"Right. Sorry, Albus. I'll - be quiet. Shh. Vow of silence."

I waited where he left me, intent on one thought: _I can save Harry_. Maybe not grown men - but a fifteen year old? I should've been fine.

I hoped.


End file.
